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Teresa A. Blackstone Calvin, 88, a laywoman and widow of the Rev. James C. Calvin, who was ordained in the Washington Conference, died May 4, 2010.  A Delta Sigma Theta service was held May 15, at Asbury UMC in Annapolis.

Teresa Blackstone was born in Annapolis in 1931.  She graduated from Bates High School in 1948 and studied at Howard University. She was an exchange student to Yale University and Smith College and earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Religious Philosophy from Virginia Union University in 1952.  She later received a Masters of Education with a concentration in Social Studies from Bowie State University.

She and the Rev. James Calvin were introduced by Bishop Edgar A. Love, while she was working one summer as a college student at a youth camp in Louisiana. They married in 1952 and had four children. He became a district superintendent in the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

She was a Golden Life “Delta Dear” with over 50 years service.

As a child, Teresa Calvin was baptized at Asbury UMC in Annapolis and returned there after her husband’s death in 1972. She served on the United Methodist Women, sang with the senior choir, was a certified Lay Speaker since the 1950s, chaired Religion & Race and Grants & Proposals committees and the Administrative Council, and was founder of the “History Room” at the church.

She was chair of Christian Personhood for the Baltimore-Washington Conference. An achievement she was especially proud of was an annual Ethnic Tea in the 1980s to celebrate diversity within the congregation.

As an educator for nearly 50 years, Calvin taught in the Louisiana and Anne Arundel County Public School systems.  Her vision of equitable education helped integrate the New Orleans Public Schools and Louisiana State University.

Calvin was a Ford Fellow in African History in 1983 at Hampton Institute in Virginia.  Numerous organizations have honored her, including the Maryland State Teacher’s Association, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Anne Arundel County Chapter of the NAACP, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. and Frontiers International, Inc. She served as a member of the Social Studies Education Assessment Team for the United States’ People-to-People Ambassador Programs to Vietnam and China in 1993.  She was also a past Vice-President of the Friends of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra.

She received state and citywide recognition for many accomplishments. For the people of Annapolis, Calvin was well known for her beautiful operatic singing voice, which began in sing-a-longs in her growing up years and piano lessons. In high school, she toured with the Irving Singers, followed by singing with Howard University’s Traveling Choir and the Virginia Union University Choir. She gave command concerts throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Calvin retired from teaching in the Anne Arundel County Public School system and fought a lengthy illness.  She passed away suddenly before Mother’s Day 2010.

Survivors include four daughters: Jamesetta Calvin-Lamartin, Ann Calvin, Lavenia Calvin and Lenora Calvin, all of Annapolis; one grandson and two great-grandchildren.

Condolences may be sent to any family member at P.O. Box 2010, Annapolis, MD 21404.